1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer, which includes a sensor functioning as a pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a mouse or a touch pad is used as a pointing device. A user can perform a pointing operation, such as an operation of moving the position of a cursor on a display screen, by moving the mouse, for example, on the desk, or by moving the finger over the touch pad.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-25801 discloses an apparatus which controls the mouse in two operation modes. In this apparatus, use is made of a normal mode in which the mouse is used in a predetermined direction, and a turned-over mode in which the mouse is used in a direction in which the mouse is turned over, relative to the predetermined direction. In the turned-over mode, the direction of movement of the cursor is automatically turned over. Thereby, the user can use the mouse not only in the predetermined direction, but also in the turned-over direction.
However, in the case where the mouse is used as a pointing device, it is necessary to move the mouse over a surface such as the surface of the desk. Thus, the place of use of the computer is limited to a specific place, for example, within a home or within an office. Besides, in the case of the touch pad, it is necessary to dispose, on the housing of the computer, a coordinate detection area with such a size that a touched position can be detected.
Under the circumstances, there has recently been a demand for the development of a novel pointing device which can execute a pointing operation with a small space being occupied.
In addition, in the case where a device, such as a sensor IC, for realizing a pointing device is built in the housing of a computer, it is necessary to determine the position where the sensor IC is to be mounted, by taking into account the efficiency of mounting of various components and the operability of the pointing device. In usual cases, the sensor IC has to be disposed in a certain fixed direction. The reason is that the direction of movement of the finger and the direction of movement of the cursor need to be matched so that when the finger moves rightward, for example, the cursor may also move rightward.
However, such a restriction to the direction of disposition of the sensor IC becomes a factor that causes a decrease in efficiency of mounting.
Therefore, a novel technique is needed for increasing the degree of freedom of the direction in which the sensor IC is disposed. In this case, if no restriction is imposed on the direction in which the sensor IC can be positioned, it would be necessary to construct a system so as to cover, for example, all the four directions in which the sensor IC can be positioned. This will possibly make the system configuration very complex.
It is necessary, therefore, to realize a novel technique which can increase the degree of freedom of the direction in which a device, such as a sensor IC, is disposed, without making the system configuration complex.